Twelve Days of Teddy
by Seeker Rose
Summary: Twelve Days. That's all they had. Twelve days with their baby boy, before war cruelly took them away. Set during DH and Rated T to be safe. Twelve short drabbles of each day the Lupins spent with Teddy.


**A/N: **though the fics aren't connected to each other,this is the first of two featuring teddy that have been planned for a while, inspired by my excitement for the wait of lupin's bio on pottermore (and now i suppose our new future king of england). from what i remember, teddy was born after easter in april 1998, which would roughly only give the lupins maybe two or three weeks with him, possibly even less. going from this estimate, this fic features twelve drabbles under 200 words, each from a day the lupins spent with their son before their ultimate demises (which i'm still not over). don't forget to review and let me know what you think.

**disclaimer: **the characters belong to j k rowling and any associated companies.

* * *

_Twelve Days of Teddy_

_21__st__ April 1998_

Two extensive days of labour had all ended incredibly fast with a final agonising push. He had only been alive for over an hour but it was a miracle, she thought, how she could do nothing but stare at his tiny features and think how incomplete her life was before. It was the hardest thing she had ever done; giving birth. Not even Auror Training could compare to the perks that Teddy had already brought.

"Hello little one," she blubbered in awe, a grin plastered on her face for the bundle now with ash-blond hair. "I'm your Mummy."

"And what a wonderful Mummy she is Ted, don't you think?" a husky voice in whispered wonderment came from the doorway, the figure soon joining them on the bed.

Both peering into the blanket, they shared an electrifying smile. "He looks so much like you, Dora."

"You think? Nah… he's all you."

* * *

_22__nd__ April 1998_

"He's zonked out," she slipped an arm around her husband who had entered with a cup of tea. "Look at him. I could just munch him."

He smiled. "It seems being born is tiring work."

The little boy in question (hair currently pink and a tiny fist in his mouth) had been asleep for three hours, unaware of his parents silently watching on. Watching him had quickly become her favourite hobby, Tonks decided- one which also worried her sick.

"Is he supposed to be breathing like that?" she whispered a moment after. "I should call the Healer-"

Remus smiled and pulled her snugly into his cardigan. He sipped his tea before kissing her hair. "He's fine, love, just not used to breathing yet."

"Too busy swimming around and kicking me for nine months?"

"Exactly" he laughed lightly. "You're just worrying love, he's fine."

Her lips touched his shoulder, leaving a kiss on the exact spot of the bite. She had definitely earned her right to worry she thought, as she snuggled into him, arms weakly tightening around him. Taking the mug from his hand, she took a sip and led him out the room.

"Come on, I'm exhausted."

* * *

_23__rd__ April 1998_

"How much did he weigh?"

"Were you in labour for long?"

"Who do you think he looks like?"

"I think he looks like you, Tonks dear, although he does have some of Remus' features. Like his cheekbones. He's a very beautiful boy."

"What are his natural features?"

"Do you need any more clothing? Or blankets, supplies? We've kept a box of the boys' baby things. I'll send Arthur down with a box tomorrow."

"Is he feeding well dear?"

"Is he attaching?"

"How much is he sleeping?"

"Is he sleeping through the night?"

"Are you sleeping enough, Tonks dear?"

"He's such a handsome little man. He'll be a heartbreaker."

"I'm just so happy for you both."

As he sat listening to the barrage of questions Molly aimed at Dora during her visit, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed at the sudden turn his life had taken. He finally had everything he could never possibly imagine; a _wife_ and _son_, who he loved so fiercely. He realised immediately why a brave and courageous man like James would go into hiding.

* * *

_24__th__ April 1998_

Four hours. Four hours of endless tears for seemingly no apparent reason. Every single thing she and Remus could think of had been tried and rejected, repeated in a mantra of panicked first time parents. _Feed. Burp. Change nappy. Cuddle. Sleep._ It was never ending, and yet her little man still continued to cry his heart out, which was breaking her heart slowly and agonisingly.

"Hey, ay, ay chunk. Please stop crying for Mummy."

But still the tears continued, and the hair stayed blood red under her hand from the boy curled into her chest. At her wits end, she was ready to call for 'Nana Reinforcements', handing the bawling boy to Remus. He rubbed one hand threw his hair from the armchair in exhaustion as the other secured the green blanket with dogs on knitted by Molly around Teddy in her peripheral vision. Dogs- she had an idea.

"I know, Teddy Bear," she skipped over with renewed energy to lean on the arm of the chair. "Do you want Daddy to tell you a story hmm? Is that it? Shall we get Daddy to tell you a story about unruly Uncle Sirius?"

The tears ceased.

* * *

_25__th__ April 1998_

"O', Tonks, 'e eez beautiful."

Tonks- beaming- smiled down at her sleeping son in Fleur's arms. "You've caught him on a good day," she teased. "Broody yet, Bill? When will the next generation of Weasleys begin?"

"Give us a few years of married life first!" Bill laughed, taking a mouthful of his butterbeer. "Not like you rabbits."

She jokingly glared back, readjusting her baggy t-shirt which hid the post bump she was still not permitted to morph away. Light conversation was made until Tonks could no longer handle it.

"Well, let's tell them shall we?" she squeezed her husband's hand. "There's a reason why we asked you both here."

"Wha-?" Bill started.

"We have no doubt in Harry. But-"

"But this is war" Remus interjected.

"And I don't want Teddy to be alone should Remus and I- we need to prepare for the worst. And you've both done so much for us. You've really been great friends. So alongside Harry, we would like you both to be Teddy's godparents, if you'll accept."

She watched them both stare back with wide smiles. Suddenly, Bill stood and engulfed her in a suffocating hug, almost knocking her over.

"Bloody hell… of course!"

* * *

_26__th__ April 1998_

Arriving back from another Potterwatch, Remus had been ready to fall into bed and never leave it again. Exhausted, he was removing his cloak when his wife's voice shouted from the living-room.

"What shape does your Patronus take?"

"My Patronus is non-corporeal. Not morphed, where is your birthmark?"

"Under my right breast; and stop using that to try and embarrass me! It's not working. One day we'll have visitors and I'm sure you don't want everyone- including our son- to hear about the time we-"

Quickly found, he peered over her head to silence her with a kiss. "Hello."

"Wotcher love," she smiled up at him from her lounged position on their sofa. "We were listening to Daddy on Potterwatch weren't we, Teddy? Say 'Wotcher' to Daddy."

"Dora, you know he's not old enough to-"

"Just watch."

As his wife turned their son to face him from her lap, Teddy's hair immediately changed from its neon pink to a softer, light brown with grey strands threaded throughout. Dora's smile illuminated her face, and he was sure his was the exact same.

"He's mirroring! We've been morphing all afternoon!"

* * *

_27__th__ April 1998_

When his wife had first suggested that they properly bathe their son for the first time that day, it was met with a smile which hid an eager excitement at the next step into the lives of being parents.

Bathing Teddy in the sink had effectively been working well; that is, until the boy had discovered he quite liked the water.

Later that evening as he sat at the table with a mug of tea sans shirt, he couldn't for the life of him figure out why he had not realised bathing offspring of two mischief makers would end any other way before.

"How can a barely week old child possibly splash that much?" he called out.

"At least it was just water on your clothes!" Dora huddled in a floral kimono, blonde hair soaked from her shower, joined him on his lap.

It was fair to say bathing Teddy was not what he expected.

* * *

_28__th__ April 1998_

"What house do you reckon he'll be in, Remus?"

Spooning in bed, she listened to the rain thud against the window, waiting for a reply. His gentle hand tightened around her waist as he moved closer, remembering how sore and utterly tender she still felt. The nose of her considerate man nudged her neck.

"Mmm… Gryffindor..."

"Yeah? Is this the bias speaking?"

"Undeniably. Our little lad had the audacity to be born in the middle of a war. Teddy has Gryffindor all over him." He yawned. "Sirius would never have allowed a child of a Marauder to be anything but Gryffindor anyhow."

Light snores started from the crib at the bottom of the bed seemingly in agreement. She laughed quietly.

"Hmm, maybe the next one we have or the one after will be a Hufflepuff."

"The next one?!"

* * *

_29__th__ April 1998_

"I'm not comfortable with this. I don't-"

"I know, but this will be good for both of you."

"I just don't think _this_ should be Teddy's first outing_._ We can go another day and… pretend to be Muggles and spend the day shopping instead. Anything-"

"Dora, you haven't been since the-"

"I _know_, Remus."

She felt immediately guilty for snapping, so was quite thankful for his hand rubbing circles on her back. "I'm right, love."

A sleeping Teddy stirred in her arms, and it seemed to bring her the courage she needed. "You being right… first time for everything I suppose. Okay… I'm ready."

The fields behind her parents' house had always been her favourite place in the world. Different species of flower had been planted by various previous owners and produced the most wonderful colours during spring, something which she used as a palette for her choice in hair. But everything was bleak now; nothing was the same, all because of a grave stone now amongst the flowers.

She grazed the stone with her hand as she bent closer.

"W-Wotcher Dad, t-there's someone I want you to meet."

* * *

_30__th__ April 1998_

"Remus"

"_Remus!_" An impatient hand violently shoved his shoulder, almost pushing him off the bed.

"Mmm?"

"Teddy's crying," Dora hushed, "and it's your turn."

He rolled away to face the wall, before slowly lifting himself up. His shoulder cracked as he ran a hand over his face. Sure enough, the faint sound of Teddy whimpering drifted down the hall.

"What's the time?"

"Half one... roughly two hours since he last woke. That must be some sort of record…"

"That's not comforting."

"I know, sweetheart," she tapped his thigh as he stood. "Go on, before he wakes the neighbours with those set of lungs of his."

"Are you sure it is my turn to go? I distinctly remember you saying that the last time-"

"Of course I'm bloody sure, Remus! Now go before I hex your balls off, which are the damn things that got us into this."

Stumbling across the dark room, he knocked over his cane as he made his way to the nursery mumbling "Never complained about them before."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, love."

* * *

_1__st__ May 1998_

Never in a million years could he have imagined such a more glorious sight. Dora breastfeeding in his favourite arm chair, stroking the golden hair they had come to associate with contentment, was one of the moments of parenthood which made him realise just what he might have missed by his cowardice. He had just put the shopping away and now stood in the doorway relishing them both.

Dora's amused eyes found his. "What's that smile for?"

"Mmm?" he smiled, perching on the arm. "Just thinking how much I love you both."

He gained a sly wink in return. "If you really loved me, you would find a way for you to produce milk. He's drinking loads today. This is the second time in an hour."

With Teddy seemingly finished for now, Remus took the boy from his mother and gave her a quick kiss. He wandered into the kitchen, levitating the Moses basket behind him, watched on by a confused Dora.

"Why don't… we give Mummy a break… and start on dinner, Ted."

* * *

_2__nd__ May 1998_

One hour and forty-seven minutes after Remus had emotionally said bye to them both with the promise of returning, an overwhelming grief abruptly seized Tonks' heart. She had felt that kind of sorrow before, precisely three times in the past year. But this was agony; throbbing with ever beat of her heart. It was as though a piece of her was suddenly missing. Something was wrong. Which is why exactly five minutes after she had said her goodbyes to her mother, she was stood rocking a slumbering Teddy, making the hardest decision of her life.

"I love you Teddy, oh so much. _You_ are the best thing that has ever happened to me…" she giggled, nudging her son's ear. "But don't tell Daddy as he'll only get jealous."

Teddy started to stir from sleep and not wanting to wake him, she used her wand to play a lullaby.

"Oh Teddy Bear, what's the world like ay?" she murmured, blinking back tears. "I'll be back with Daddy soon and we can spoil you rotten, how does that sound? We'll win this war just for you Ted… and I'll make sure Daddy comes back to us. I love you so; so much… never forget how much we both love you in case-"

Tonks gripping onto the little boy with sheer might, she kissed the top of his fluffy downy hair, and reluctantly placed him in his crib.

"Be good for Nana until we get back."

Not looking back in fear of changing her mind, she unlocked the charms on her mother's front door and quietly crept out.

What she did not know, as she apparated to the Hogs Head, was that it would be the last time Teddy would ever see his parents alive.


End file.
